Danish F-16 fighters drop bombs on Libya for first time, says Air Force

14:52, March 24, 2011

Danish F-16 fighter jets have, for the first time, dropped precision-guided bombs on targets in Libya, the Danish Air Force's Tactical Air Command said on Wednesday.

"In the course of the last 24 hours, the Danish F-16 planes launched precision bombs on targets in Libya for the first time," Tactical Air Command said in a press statement released Wednesday afternoon. It did not provide further details of the strikes or the targets, citing security concerns for Danish forces and mission coalition partners.

Denmark has deployed six F-16 fighter jets, as well as 132 support personnel as part of a UN-mandated coalition force to establish a no-fly zone over Libya.

The Danish forces are operating out of Naval Air Station Sigonella in Sicily, Italy. The statement said the six F-16s have carried out a total of 12 missions since commencing operations on Sunday, including 11 air-to-ground and one air-to-air mission, and added that "the mission is progressing as planned."

Mission coalition partners France, Britain, and the U.S. have also launched strikes from air and sea against Libyan military targets since Saturday. The UN Security Council mandated the coalition engagement by passing a resolution to impose a no-fly zone over Libya, and protect the country's civilians, last Thursday.